Delicate goods tray

ABSTRACT

The axle of a horizontally mounted drum is provided with a special female receptacle. A delicate goods tray is provided with a male fitting adapted to fit within the female receptacle so as to cantilever support the tray and hold it stationary during movement of the drum. The tray is particularly adapted to hold goods which cannot be subjected to tumbling action during a drying operation.

D United States Patent [1 1 [111 3,724,095 Laue et al. 1 Apr. 3, 1973 54DELICATE GOODS TRAY 3,471,940 10/1969 Smith ..34 133 Inventors: Terry J.Laue; Leo v. Buck, both of 3,483,632 12/196? Tnplelt ..34/l33 H lll. emuPrimary Examiner-Carroll B. Donty, Jr. Asslgneer Feddels l Edlson, N1Attorneyl(ane, Dalsimer, Kane, Sullivan & Kurucz [22] Filed: June 1,1971 [57] ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 148,655

The axle of a horizontally mounted drum is provided with a specialfemale receptacle. A delicate goods tray 5 "34/139, 34/ is provided witha male fitting adapted to fit within the n n 1 s s I r u s I I I s s a u1 u -f-u- [58] Field of Search ..34/9l, 133, 139, 237, 238 and hold itStationary during movement of the drum The tray is particularly adaptedto hold goods which [56] Reterences Cited cannot be subjected totumbling action during a dry- I UNITED STATES PATENTS s Operation-3,3l6,659 5/1967 Lauck ..34/l33 5 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPR31915 3,724,095

sum 2 [1F 2 F/GJ IT 2/ Y1? INVENTORS TEE/FY01 140E ATTORNEYS '1 DELICATEGoons TRAY BACKGROUND or THE INVENTION This invention relates to devicesfor use in standard home clothes dryers. The devices are particularlyadapted to support delicate goods which, because of their delicatenature, cannot be subjected to the normal tumbling action of the dryer.Thus, the articles are placed upon this device and remain stationary,though subjected to the heat of the dryer, while the main dryer drumcontinued to rotate in a normal manner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a delicate goods tray of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the tray illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of a similar tray;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the male fitting attached to the tray;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the female receptacle attached to theaxle of the drum;

A device for a similar purpose is described in' US SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION lnaccordance with the present invention, a delicate goods trayfor the home dryer has been developed where special alignment inmounting the tray is not necessary. The tray is not placed in the dryer,except when delicate goods are to be dried. 4

However, with the present system, a female receptacle is, or can be,permanently mounted to the axle which supports the drum at the centerrear. This receptacle is provided with portions to accommodate andmaintain the alignment of the delicate goods tray.

The horizontal portion of the tray on which the delicate goods to bedried are placed, can take any form. Thus, it can be a wire rack, a wiremesh basket, or any other structure which will both support clothing tobe dried and allow for passage of air through the clothing.

One end of the tray is formed with a male fitting, or a FIG. 6 is anenlarged, assembled view of the male fitting and female receptacle; and

FIG. 7 is a partial plan view of a tray, similar to the tray of FIG. 2,employing castors between the tray and drum to aid in holding the trayin a horizontal position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings, andparticularly FIGS. 1 and 2, a wire tray 1 is illustrated having ahorizontal portion 2 and upstanding side portions 3. The side portionsare not essential, but do aid in retaining clothing placed on thehorizontal portion, so that this clothing is not accidentally displacedfrom the tray and caused to fall onto the rotating drum. In addition, afront lip (not male fitting is attached to the tray. This fitting isformed the receptacle and to prevent rotation of the delicategoods tray.After insertion of the male fitting into the female receptacle, thebasket is cantilever supported from the drum axle.

Thus, no unusual alignment problems are presented. The housewife needmerely slide the male fitting into the female receptacle attached to thebasket support axle and installation is completed. Removal isaccomplished by disabling the locking means and is equally simple.

In one embodiment of my invention, that end of the tray to which themale fitting is attached or on which the fitting is formed, may also beprovided with castors or rollers which will bear against the rear movingsurface of the dryer drum. However, these rollers or castors are not arequirement.

It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a delicategoods tray for an automaticdryer which is easy to install and remove.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a tray for dryingdelicate goods which is supported from the rear of the drum.

illustrated) can be provided on the basket to serve the same purpose.

The horizontal portion 2 and vertical portions 3 are formed from wiresupport braces 4 to which are attached cross wires 5 on which thedelicate goods to be dried are supported.

A male fitting 6 is attached to the end support 4, for example, by meansof plate 7 connecting the two end supports. The male fitting 6 isattached to plate 7 as by means of a threaded member 8 which is insertedthrough opening 9 and held within threaded portion 10 of male fitting 6.It will be apparent that'the male fitting may be formed integrally withthe end support, or otherwise attached.

The male fitting is also provided with a lug 20, spring urged outwardlyby spring 21. Accidental removal of the lug is prevented throughformation of shoulder 22 which abuts the edge of the male fitting. Thelug 20 is held within opening 23 of female receptacle 24.

The male fitting is also provided with a guide pin 25 which acts toretain the fitting and, therefore, the attached basket, in a horizontalposition, notwithstanding force applied to the basket. This alignmentpin 25 can be eliminated, depending upon the force of spring 21. Thefitting is also formed with a recessedportion 26 at the end opposite thethreaded portion 10.

The female receptacle 24 is provided with an annular recess 30 toaccommodate male fitting 6. Formed on the wall of the recess is opening23 which accommodates spring loaded lug 20. Also formed on the surfaceof recess 30 is a slot-like opening 31 which accommodates the alignmentpin 25 of the male fitting, when this alignment pin is present.

The female receptacle is joined to the axle 32 of the horizontallysupported drum as by means of threaded member 33 inserted into recess 30and through opening 34 formed at the rear of the recess. This threadedmember replaces a member normally formed over the axle end. Recessedportion 26 of the male fitting accommodates the head of threaded member33.

Because of the plate removed from the normal tub opening covering theend of the axle, there is a danger of a lint flow through the now formedopening and into the operating mechanism of the dryer. For this reason,sleeve 35 is formed about female receptacle 2 4 and is held in place byan extension 36 of the rear of the drum cylinder, the latter preventingtangling of clothes about the axle in addition to maintaining the sleeve35 in place to prevent flow of lint through the opening.

In a second embodiment, illustrated particularly in H6. 7, a delicategoods tray 1 is again shown with a male fitting 6 and female receptacle24, the latter attached to axle 32. Mounting is in the same manner asillustrated in the first embodiment, the difference being the castors 40which are attached to the tray 1' and formed so as to ride along rearwall 41 of the dryer drum. Such castors can be employed if it isbelieved that a particularly heavy tray or load will be used, thecastors acting to provide additional horizontal support for the tray.

In operation, the axle 32 is provided with a threaded opening by whichthe female receptacle 24 is attached.- This attachment is permanent andthe receptacle is mounted in such a way that opening 23 and slot 31 arealigned for horizontal support of the delicate goods tray. The delicategoods tray is attached to the female receptacle through means of malefitting 6. This fitting is aligned in such a manner that the springloaded lug will be inserted into opening 23 and alignment pin 25, ifpresent, will move into slot 31. When the male fitting has been insertedsufficiently, the spring loaded lug 20, which is depressed upon initialmovement, will snap into opening 23 so as to hold the male fitting and,thus, the delicate goods tray, in place. After drying a load of delicategoods, if it is desired to remove the tray, the lug 20 is depressed soas to allow withdrawal of male fitting 6 from female receptacle 24,which completes removal of the tray from the dryer.

It will be appreciated that the dryer in which the receptacle and trayof the present invention are placed is a standard, horizontal,automatic, home type dryer.

Thus, it includes a standard cabinet in which the drum is mounted andsupported on lower rollers, or pedestals, and on a rear axle whichprovides support at the center of the drum. Such a dryer is illustrated,for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,567,297. It will further be appreciated,of course, that the standard dryer can be easily converted so as to beuseful in drying of delicate goods according to the present invention.The support axle need merely be tapped to allow for attachment of thereceptacle. The tray would be supplied with the receptacle and would beemployed in the same manner described according to this invention.

While the present invention has been described according to particularembodiments for purposes of illustration, the invention is not solimited.

We claim:

1. In a dryer having a horizontal drum with a center axle support:

a. a female receptacle affixed to the center axle support of the drum;and

b. a tray, adapted to be supported within the drum in a horizontalposition, said tray allowing for the circulation of air and including:

1.ahorizontal portion and i 2. a vertical support portion, attached tosaid horizontal portion, and having means for attachment to said femalereceptacle, said receptacle and means for attachment providing the solemeans for supporting and maintaining the alignment of said tray.

2. The dryer of claim 1 wherein said attachment means includes a maleelement having a spring loaded lug for holding within said femalereceptacle.

3. The dryer of claim 2 wherein said male fitting also includes a guidepin and said female receptacle is provided with 'a slot to accommodatesaid guide pin.

4. The dryer of claim 1 wherein said tray includes essentially verticaledge walls.

5. The dryer ofclaim 1 wherein said tray includes an essentiallyvertical end wall at the end opposite said support means.

1. In a dryer having a horizontal drum with a center axle support: a. afemale receptacle affixed to the center axle support of the drum; and b.a tray, adapted to be supported within the drum in a horizontalposition, said tray allowing for the circulation of air andincluding:
 1. a horizontal portion and
 2. a vertical support portion,attached to said horizontal portion, and having means for attachment tosaid female receptacle, said receptacle and means for attachmentproviding the sole means for supporting and maintaining the alignment ofsaid tray.
 2. a vertical support portion, attached to said horizontalportion, and having means for attachment to said female receptacle, saidreceptacle and means for attachment providing the sole means forsupporting and maintaining the alignment of said tray.
 2. The dryer ofclaim 1 wherein said attachment means includes a male element having aspring loaded lug for holding within said female receptacle.
 3. Thedryer of claim 2 wherein said male fitting also includes a guide pin andsaid female receptacle is provided with a slot to accommodate said guidepin.
 4. The dryer of claim 1 wherein said tray includes essentiallyvertical edge walls.
 5. The dryer of claim 1 wherein said tray includesan essentially vertical end wall at the end opposite said support means.